Popular computer applications include word processors, spreadsheets and organizers. These applications typically involve a single user interacting with a computer. However, frequently there is a need for multiple users to interact or collaborate with an application at the same time over a communication network. For example, two or more remote users may wish to collaborate with a word processor in order to create a single document.
When two or more users wish to collaborate with an application, each user must usually have specialized software and/or specialized hardware to support that application. This can increase the costs to each user, and require each user to have advanced technical skills in order to setup and operate the specialized software and hardware. Further, most application collaboration occurs on one specific type of equipment (e.g., a personal computer). Therefore, even more specialized software must be implemented by the users if, for example, one user on a personal computer wishes to collaborate on an application with a user on a wireless personal data assistant ("PDA") such as the PalmPilot from 3Com Corp.
Based on the foregoing, there is a need for a method and apparatus that facilitates application collaboration between users across a network using diverse types of devices.